Sectional feed wire



Jan. 2l, 1969 Y. A. coulLLAls SECTIONAL FEED WIRE Filed Aug. 16, 1967 INVENTOR. YVA/V A. COU/[ LA/S A TTORNE YS United States Patent O Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A feed wire passing through `apertured work blanks for giudance from `an inclined supply channel to horizontal feed rollers of a tapping machine. The wire is in two sections. The uppermost sectionincludes an inclined length joined by a bend to a portion of vertical length. The lowermost section includes a portion of vertical length, a curved transitional length, and a horizontal length to dispose blanks for feed by the rollers. A pin, extending from the upper section, is accommodated within a socket in the lowermost section, to pivot both sections together. A support conduit receives the blanks along the vertical length portions of the coupled sections to float the feed wire therein. Sufficient pressure is developed by the blanks against the feed wire and the inside of the conduit to hold the sections together whenever the horizontal length swings away from the rollers.

Background of the invention This invention relates generally to a mechanism for feeding work blanks to a tapping machine, and more particularly, to an interchangeable feed wire which may be pivoted away from the feed mechanism.

In the past, Ia unitary feed wire has been utilized to feed apertured work blanks to a tapping machine, such as that shown in U.S. Patent 3,233,259, issued Feb. 8, 1966, to I. A. MacLean III et al. The unitary L-shaped feed wire, there shown, satisfactorily fed work blanks to the rollers from a supply which was directly overhead. Upon stoppage `of the machine, for example, by jamming of the rollers, safety devices `allowed the rollers to fly apart `and the horizontal part of the L-shaped feed wire was easily swung out of the way. Furthermore, 'a change in work blank size was easily facilitated by quick and easy interchange of the L-shaped feed wire.

Unfortunately, the use of a unitary L-shaped feed wire with a directly overhead supply is not always feasible, since design requirements may require alternate locations of the supply. It has been found that alternate locations for the supply, other than directly overhead, can be accommodated by a feed wire having a length inclined toward the locations. However, a unitary L-shaped feed wire with an inclined length cannot be easily swung out of the way for access and is not easily removed for an interchange thereof.

Summary of the invention Therefore, to overcome the foregoing and other difliculties of the prior art, the general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved two-section feed wire for various supply locations, other than directly overhead. The feed wire must afford access to feed rollers and be readily replaceable. To this end, the present invention teaches a feed wire of two-sections pivoted together by a pin and accommodating socket. The uppermost section includes an inclined length joined by a slight bend to a portion of vertical length. The inclined length matches an inclined channel from a supply bin, located as desired.

The lowermost section includes a portion of vertical length,

ice

a curved transitional length, and a horizontal length to dispose the work blanks for feed by 'horizontal rollers. The pin is a part of the upper most section and is received within accommodating socket in the lowermost length to pivot the sections together between the portions of the vertical lengths. A hollow support conduit receives work lblanks along the portions of vertical length. The feed wire floats within the blanks and support conduit. Pressure of the blanks against the wire and the inside of the conduit hold the sections together while the horizontal length Iswings away from the feed rollers. In this manner access is provided to the rollers; also, the sections may be separated for ease in replacement of the feed wire.

Thus, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel feed wire adaptable to various locations of supply.

It is an object of this invention to provide a feed wire for apertured work blanks which afford easy access to feed rollers and is readily replaceable.

Another object of this invention is to provide a twosection L-shaped feed wire with an inclined length allowing one section to pivot without disturbing the other section.

It is still another object to provide a feed wire of two coupled sections which is economical to produce by utilizing a minimum -of conventional, currently available materials that lend themselves to standard mass-production manufacturing techniques.

Further and other objects, `and a more complete un-derstanding of this invention may be had by referring to the following description land claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Description of the drawings For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawing a form which is presently preferred, it being understood, however, that this invention is not necessarily limited to the precise `arrangements and instrumentalities as shown.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the invented feed wire.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the feed wire of FIG. l in use on `a tapping machine.

Description of the preferred emobidment Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 an illustration of the feed wire of the present invention designated generally Iat 10. FIG. 2 shows the feed wire 10 of the present invention in use on a tapping machine 12 of the type described in detail in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 3,233,259. Only a general description of the tapping machine 12, suicient to provide an understanding of the operation of feed wire 10, is provided herein. Apertured work blanks 15 are fed from a rotary bin 18, located at a desirable out-of-the-way position shown, into the inclined channel 19 for transfer to the feed wire 10. The work blanks 15 are disposed by wire 10 to the horizontal drive rollers 20, for feed to a tap 25 driven by a motor 28.

It is understood, of course, that the invented feed wire 10 may be utilized with supply bins and feed mechanisms other than those shown. For example, instead of a rotary bin, the supply might be any type of `agitated or even stationary bin. Also, it is to be realized that the machine 12 could conveivalbly operate at dispositions other than that shown. That is, for example, with the feed rollers 20 being at other than a horizontal disposition. Therefore, it is to be understood that the utilization of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the exact application shown in FIG. 2.

The feed wire 10 is of two sections, an upper section 30 and a lower section 40. The upper section 30 has an inclined length 32 and portion 34 of a vertical length joined thereto by a bend 36. The uppermost end 38 of the inclined length is tapered, as shown, to facilitate transfer of the work blanks 15 from the channel 19. The lower end of the vertical portion 34 includes a pin 39, as shown.

The lowermost section 40 is of L-shape, including portion 44 of a vertical length, a horizontal length 46, and a curved length 48 for transition therebetween. As illustrated, the portion 44 has a socket 49 therein for accommodation of the pin 39. It may be easily visualized that the pin 39 within socket 49 pivots the sections 30, 40 together to form a single L-sha-ped feed wire with an inclined upper length.

A support conduit 50 is held by clamp 52 on the support arm 55 for floating support is the feed wire 10 and work blanks 15 by machine 12, as shown in FIG. 2. The feed wire passes throug-h the apertured work blanks 15 for guidance thereof to rollers 20. The inclined length 32 and tapered end 38 facilitate a smooth transfer of the work blanks 1S from the channel 19 to the feed wire 10. Notice that the end 38 extends somewhat into an outlet tube 17 of the channel 19, as shown. The outlet tube 17 is held on the end of channel 19 by holder blocks 13. Notice that outlet tube 17 and holder blocks 13 are open at the top and channel 19 is slotted at 16. This permits removal of Vend 38 by upper movement of -upper section 30. The work blanks drop down along the feed wire 10 to the horizontal feed rollers 20. That is, the work blanks slide around the bend 36 and down the vertical portion 34, past the pivoted juncture formed by pin 39 and socket 49, down vertical portion 44, and around curved length 48 to horizontal length 46. The support conduit 58 receives the work blanks 15 to hold the nut blanks therein with the feed wire floating therein. In transition from the vertical Iportion 44 to the horizontal length 46, the work blanks turn on the curved length 48 and spread apart slightly, as shown. This disposes the work blank in a horizontal position slightly spaced for feed by the rollers 20 to the tap 25. In this manner the work blanks 15 are fed in sequence one by one for tapping.

Upon stoppage of the machine 12, for example, upon jamming of the rollers 20, safety release mechanisms allow the rollers to separate, as shown in FIG. 2. For access to these rollers 20 and the tap 25, all that is necessary is to swing the horizontal length 46 of the feed wire 10 out of the way, as illustrated. The lower section 48 will pivot freely at the juncture formed by pin 39 and socket 49, allowing the horizontal length 46 to swing away from the rollers 20 without disturbance of the upper section whatsoever. That is, the upper section 30 with inclined length 32 remains in Iposition with the tapered end 38 within the channel 19.

The work blanks 15 within the support conduit 50 bear against the inside of the conduit and against the feed wire 10. The pressure by each endividual work blank is inconsequential; however, it is found that when the horizontal length 46 is swung outward the total pressure of all work blanks 15 together within the conduit 50 is sufficient to support the lower section 40 with the work blanks 15 thereon. Yet, if it is desirable to remove the feed wire 10 for an interchange in size, all that is necessary is a slight downward pressure to separate the lower section from the upper section. The lower section 40 easily clears the rollers 20. The upper section 30 is lifted clear of the support conduit and the channel 19. An upper section of a different size may be substituted along with a lower section of a different size. For resumption of the operation all that is necessary is to swing the lower horizontal length 46 back into position between the rollers.

I claim:

1. In a tapping machine having a gravity supply bin with an inclined channel to drop apertured work blanks onto a horizontal feed mechanism, a feed wire passing through said blanks for guidance between said channel and mechanism, said wire comprising: a lplurality of sections including a straight inclined length continuing outward from said channel for smooth transfer therefrom of said blanks, a horizontal length to dispose said blanks for feed by said mechanism, and a curved length therebetween for transition to said horizontal length, said sections being pivoted together whereby said horizontal length can swing away from said mechanism without disturbance of said inclined length.

2. A feed wire in accordance with claim 1, including a vertical length between said inclined length and curved length, said vertical length joined by a bend to said inclined length.

3. A feed wire in accordance with claim 2, wherein said inclined length has a tapered outer end facilitating said transfer of blanks thereon.

4. A feed wire in accordance with claim 3, wherein said tapered outer end is positioned within said inclined channel.

5. A feed wire in accordance with claim 4, of two sections, one having a pin and the other :having an accommodating socket for pivoting said sections together.

6. A feed wire in accordance with claim 5, wherein the uppermost of said sections includes said inclined length and a portion of said vertical length, while the lowermost of said sections includes the remainder of said vertical length, and said curved length and horizontal length, said pin and socket pivoting said portion to said remainder of said vertical length.

7. A feed wire in accordance `with claim 6, wherein said pin is part of said uppermost section 8. A feed wire in accordance with claim 7, including a support conduit in combination therewith, said conduit receiving said blanks along said vertical length with said feed Wire floating therein, said lblanks pressing against substantial portions of both sections and inside of said conduit to hold said sections together while said horizontal length swings away from said mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,512,786 10/1924 Morton 287-126 1,846,925 2/1932 Wallace 10-129 1,961,868 6/1934 Staubo 10-129 3,233,259 2 /1966 MacLean et al. lll-139 ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 10-129, 139 

